Composition shower pan



April 29, 1941- O G. A. MORTHLAND 2,239969 COMPOSITION SHOWER PAN FiledJuly 30, 195,8

lave/Zion Gle/:n.AZ/Varland.

Patented Apr. 29, 1941 ares lier

This invention relates generally to shower pans such as are installed inshower rooms, underneath the tile, to prevent any water which has seepeddown throughthe tile and cementfrom reaching the sub-flooring, andrelates more particularly to the provisionof a shower pan of acomposition type;

It is common to use for this purposel a pan made of lead. A metal pan,however, is subject to deterioration by electrolysis and by reason ofattack by the lime in the cement, Metal pans are also somewhat costlyYand `diiiicult to install, the installation of such a pan ordinarilyrequiring several hours labor.-

One object of the present invention vide a water-proof shower pan whichis not subject to the deterioration characteristic of i the usuallyemployed lead pan. p

A further object of the invention is to pro-vide a permanent,Vwater-proof shower pan of a comi position type, which Ais exceptionallystrong against tearing or cutting, which conforms toirreglularitieswhich may bepresent in the bottom and sides of the shower stall, andwhich is also conformable to the usual cement and Vtile laid above it,whereby stresses set up in the cement in which the tile is laid may berelieved, and an assembly provided which is in perfect equilibrium asregards internal strain.V

The shower pan4 of-'the present invention is` made up of a compositionoflayers of exible material, at least onevof which isi of a fabric orfelted type, preferably water-proofecl, and characterized by a certain'amount of give, and at least another of which is a water-proof plasticsubl Vlayer of kraft paper. l

The assembly as thus deScribedisentirely safe and water-proof, hasadequate strength against tearing or cuttingby any uneven surface oredge on which the pan may rest, and is characterized by conformabilityto the Vcement and tile Vplaced inside it, whereby stresses and strainsin the cement and tile are relieved, and a permanent structure isprovided which is not `subject to deterioration, tearing, cracking orleaking.

The invention will be .bettelnunderstood by re- 1' is to pro- I ferringrnow to the following detailed description Vof several typical presentembodiments thereof,

reference for this purpose being had to the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the lower portion of ashower room showing the installation of my improved shower pan;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing one form of shower pan inaccordance with the present invention, the view demonstrating how thepan may be folded flat for shipment purposes, and unfolded to box formwhen ready to be installed;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a corner of the shower pan of Fig. 2, aportion of the upper cover layer being broken away to expose the mannerof folding of the different layers at the corners of the pan;

Fig. 4 is an enlargement of a portion of Fig. 1,

`being a cross-section through a portion of the shower pan;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modied formof shower pan in accordance withthe present invention, parts being broken away; and

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

In Fig. 1, numeral l0 designates generally a shower room, of the commonstall shower type, the sub-ooring being designated at I I, the studdingframing the shower room being indicated at I2, lathing at I3, and theshower pan of the present invention being generally designated bynumeral I4. The shower pan is of the usual box form, itsI bottoml I5resting on flooring Il, and its sides `It extending upwardly a matter cfapproximately six inches from bottom Il adjacent lath- Ving I3. NumeralIl indicates the usual layer of cement placed over the bottom I5 of theshower pan, and numeral i8 designates the coating of cementitiousmaterial placedwover lathing I 3. The usual tiling is designated bynumeral I9.

.The shower room is shown provided with the usual water drain 20, which.extends through a hole in flooring Ii and bottom I5 of shower pan I4.The cement and tile are installed around this drain in the usual manner.

Reference now being directed more particularly to the form of theinvention shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the bottom or outside layer 25 ofthe shower pan serves Simply for a suitable bottomcover, and may-becomposed of any one of' various materials. Preferably, however, thisbottom layer 25 is formed of a l5 lb. asphalt roofing i'elt, which isnot only strong but has water-proof characteristi'cs. In a laterdescribedY modification, .the asphalt felt isfitself covered with alayer or douvble layerof water-proof paper, such as `kraft paper. Ifdesired, such an outside bottom cover may be placed below layer 25.

Above layer 25 is a layer 26 consisting of a flexible fabric materialwhich is strong against tearing or cutting. A woven fabric such asburlap may be used for this purpose. However, I may employ Vfor thislayer a flax felt fabric, known to the trade as Irish flax felt. Eitherof these materials are exceptionally strong against tearing or cutting,and will give without parting or cutting if the pan should happen to beinstalled over an uneven surface or sharp edge. For the purpose of thespecification and claims, the term fabric is used generically and coversa woven material,

such as burlap, as Well as. a felt type material, suchas flax felt.

Fabric layer 2t is water-proofed by .thoroughly impregnating it with asuitable preservative and y Water-proof substance, such as asphaltpaint. Above layer 2S is placed a layer 21 of a waterproof lplasticmaterial, such as asphalt plastic or asphalt putty A-material suitableto the-purpose is marketed under the YAtrade-name Hydroseal. 'Thisplasticmaterial within the shower pan causes the pan to be conformableto the cement and tile laid inthe pan. Thoughin. somefinstancesa singlelayer of the plastic material may be regardedias sufficient, -Fig. 4Ashows a-preiferred form of the invention in which two layers -of theplastic material are employed. The upper plastic layer, which will beunderstood tobe of the same nature las the previouslyA described layer21,V is designated at 2S, and may be separated from layer 2 by aseparation layer 2B of -any suitable` material, though I preferably usefor layer 29 va V15 lb. roofing felt of the same nature as used-forbottom layer 25. `V j Over plastic layer 28 isplaced a cover `of anysuitable material. I preferably use for this pur-l pose a double layer3B of heavy water-proof rbrovvn' around the edge SI1 of the assembledlayers,I being,

of sufciently large dimensionsto lat least overlap marginal portions ofbottom-layer25; In a later described form of the invention,- Vthis kraftpaper covers the entire bottom of the-pan.- The advantage of suchYprovision is that the roofing felt which otherwise constitutes thebottom layer of the pan is somewhatdirty to handle-. It will of coursebe obvious that, as inthe 4form of Figs. .5 and 6, this kraft paper-may,if desired, be used over the entire bottom of the form-of panillustratedin Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The several layers are preferably fastened togetherby any suitable fastening means, such as the clips indicated by numeralin Figs. 2 and 3. The described overlapping of the kraft paper over themarginal edges of the composite sheet has the very important advantageof enclosing the interior layers and protecting them against loss of thevolatile constituents of the asphalt materials between the edges of thelayers.

rIhe layers as above described are first assemV led in flat form, theoutside dimensions being approximately six inches greater all aroundthan the dimensions of the shower room into which the pan is to beinstalled. The side portions I6 are next bent up and the pan assembledVinto box form. This is accomplished by folding the various layers ateach corner of the pan in the manner indicated in Fig. 3. Frominspection of that figure it will be evident that each paper or feltedlayer is given what is known as Veither a boxv or a dog-eared fold 36,the folds V'of successive layers being bent in opposite directions, soas to avoid. as much as possible, bulkiness on either side of thecorner. The corner folds having been made in this manner, the papercover 30 is bent over upper edges 3| and stapled or otherwise secured inassembly with the remaining layers making up the pan.

vFor packing for shipment purposes, the pan, at this time in box form,may then be folded along llines 31 -into a compact -.flat--folded form.

When the pan'. is to be installed inthe shower Y room, it is placed onthe sub-flooring of the room in its flat-folded condition, after whichits sides I6,ar.e bentout. These sides I6 may, if desired, bestapled4against the lathing to hold them in placewhile-the cement is beingplaced. It will of course be understood that prior to placement of thecement'layerH, a hole 39 will be made in the pan for drain 20, and thebottom of the pan will be fitted and sealed around the drain in theusual manner.

The-composition panf as thus described has many advantages.- Itisthoroughly" water-proof. Thevl materials loffvvlfiicl'ritis composed-ar-e not subjecty tof deterioration, andthe installation istherefore'permanent." The flexible fabric or iiax felt layer 26 isexceptionally tough and strong, being adapted to-give without tearing or4cutting Whenplaoed-over-uneven surfaces er sharp edges. This layer;Whichl is'-asphaltlimpregnated.v for watereproong purposes, thus givesstrengthand toughnesstoAthe'bottom. of the pan.H The plastic layer orlayers 21, 28,.:.typicall'y of nasphalt type, such as plastic asphaltandcement, is designed to give `the -bottom of the .pan thecharacteristic of conforma-bility tothe cement layer in the pan. Forexample, in 4'lay-ing nthe cementI and in setting the tile, certainstresses andstrainsA are produced causingthe bottomsurface Iofthe cementto be pressedmore or less-unevenly against vthe upper surface of thepan, P1astic-layers21l and-28 Aenablethe pan to conform to anysuchunevennessas may beproduced, so that when the cement and-tile arefinally placed and set, they-are uniformly supported at all points`bythe pan, with all interior stressesrand strains-eliminated' Theassembly is'thus insa condition of equilibrium, with'tendencies tocracking of the cementand tile -dueto uneven support by the paneliminated; The labor of installing the compositionr pan "ofthe presentinvention. is reducedto a minimum, nothingbeing requiredbeyond-placingthe pan in the shower stall, unfolding itslsideportions I6, and tting and sealing the bottom around thedrainpipe.

Figs.. 5 andj show avariationaliorm ofthe invention.. The form' of theinvention show-nin Figs.. 2, v3 and 4 may bedeliveredtothejob'inboxform, that is,v in .the .condition shown in. Fig. 2. Intheform of .Fig'si 5 and. 6.,'lthe panmay be sent out.to the.job inflatform, rbeing formedinto box shape aftersplacement on. theoorof .theshower stalLf This isfa feature of particularadvantage, enabling thepan..to`.be.boxed .on .the job to meet the precise dimensions ofthestall.V l

With particular reference lto.1!i'g".-..6, fthe pan in thislinstance. isshown as madevup .of a layerV 40 of asphalt .roofing felt, la layer 4I"of. asphaltimpregnated fabric orv felt," such. as flax felt,` a singlelayer 42"'ofasphalt plastic,` and ftop. and bottom cover layers 43 and44, respectivelmwhich are preferably double 'thicknesses of water-.proofkraft paper.. A .doubleilayer ofthe plastic could of course. be `usedif-desired, the same-:fas in Figs; 2 to 4. `Paper. cover4 44A is shownas'overlapped Vover the edge of the pan, as indicated at 44a,

and the assembly is secured together by any suitable fastening means, asby means of staples 45. Preferably, a square of layers 4| and 42 isremoved from each corner of the pan, as along lines 46 and 41, in orderto avoid bulkiness when the pan is nally folded into box form as it isinstalled in the shower stall.

It will be understood the drawings are merely illustrative of and notrestrictive on the invention, since various changes and modifications inarrangement and in materials employed may be made without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A composite shower pan or the like comprising a layer of asphaltedfelt, a layer of burlap impregnated with asphalt over said asphaltedfelt, a layer of plastic asphalt above said burlap, a layer of asphaltedfelt over said plastic, and a paper cover layer over the last mentionedlayer.

2. A composite shower pan or the like comprising a layer of asphaltedfelt, a layer of a fabric adapted to give somewhat without tearingplaced above said asphalted felt, a layer of plastic asphalt adjacentsaid last mentioned layer, a layer of asphalted felt above said lastmentioned layers, and a cover layer of building paper over the lastmentioned layer.

3. A composite shower pan or the like comprising upper and lower outsidelayers of smooth surfaced building paper, and inside waterproofinglayers comprising two layers of asphalt felt, two layers of asphaltplastic, and a layer of asphalt impregnated burlap adjacent at least oneof said layers of asphalt plastic.

4. A composite shower pan or the like comprising upper and lower outsidelayers of smooth surfaced building paper, and inside waterproofinglayers comprising two layers of asphalt felt, two layers of asphaltplastic, and a layer of asphalt impregnated fabric of a characteradapted to give somewhat without tearing.

5. A composite shower pan or the like comprising upper and lower outsidelayers of smooth surfaced building paper, and inside waterproofinglayers comprising two layers of asphalt felt, two layers of asphaltplastic, and a layer of asphalt impregnated fabric of a characteradapted to give somewhat Without tearing, one of said outside paperlayers being folded around the edges of the composite pan so as tooverlap the other of the paper layers, in such manner that the insidelayers are entirely enclosed and protected against loss of volatileconstituents of the asphalt materials between the edges of said layers.

6. A composite shower pan or the like comprising a layer of asphaltedfelt, a layer of a fabric adapted to give somewhat without tearingplaced above said asphalted felt, a layer of plastic asphalt adjacentsaid last mentioned layer, a layer of asphalted felt above said lastmentioned layers, and a cover layer of building paper over the lastmentioned layer, said cover layer of building paper being folded aroundthe edges of the composite pan so as to overlap the bottom of thecomposite sheet, in such manner that the inside layers are entirelyenclosed and protected against loss of volatile constitutents of theasphalt materials between the edges of said layers.

GLENN A. MORTHLAND.

